Choosing Your Definition

It is important to pick out a term or definition that is not a concrete object. For instance, most people can agree on the definition of cat or plane. One is a four-legged fur ball and the other is something that flies in the sky and gets people from point a to point b. This essay is easier to write if you select a less concrete or abstract topic that can be easily explained through your knowledge or experience. Terms like nihilism or honesty are great for essays like these.

Other Definition Essay Topics

Feminism

Talent

Freedom

Virtue

Leadership

Common Sense

Communism

Motherhood

Maturity

Intelligence

The Definition Essay’s Structure

Introduction ‒ This should include a generic definition of your term or even an attention grabbing fact. Then you can give a contradiction to your term to contrast it. End your introduction by giving your own definition of the term that you are going to expound upon throughout the rest of your essay.

Body ‒ In your essay’s body, you need to provide a few different points that construct your interpretation of the definition. You can provide background information but it isn’t necessary. Each point should have its own paragraph

Point 1: This will include the first component of your definition. You will need to give your analysis for how the example substantiates your definition.

Point 2: This is the second aspect of your term. Once again, give an example and provide analysis.

Point 3 etc. if necessary

Conclusion ‒ Your conclusion should give an overview of your above points. You can also explain how the definition has impacted your life. The attention grabber at the beginning of your essay can be brought back in to tie everything neatly together.

Definition Essay Examples

Most people might think that a feminist is just a man hater with short spiky hair that goes through the streets protesting every insignificant instance of possible sexism or misconduct. However, a more accepted version of feminism is simply any person, man or woman, who believes that women have the right to be equal with men. If this were better understood amongst the general population, more women would undoubtedly embrace this controversial term. To be a feminist means to not be a second class citizen and to be an intellectual equal on par with the rest of humankind…

The word intelligence brings visions of Albert Einstein or other smart men or women of science. However, I would more readily argue that intelligence should be measured in different areas and ways. It is not only important to be the smartest kid in class. It’s also important to have common sense as well as street smarts and social skills together with book intelligence. All of these key areas affect everyone’s life. Therefore, I would argue that schools and universities should not only be developing their students’ minds intellectually, but they should be building it within all of these other important spheres….